Spain: Best Time to Visit

The best time to travel on a Spain vacation is during springtime and also in the fall. The best months are April, May, June, September and October. July and August are very hot especially in cities such as Seville, Cordoba and Madrid. Madrid has a dry heat as opposed to the other cities. Many Spaniards leave town in the months of July and August to escape the heat. The Atlantic Coast including San Sebastian has the most rain, especially in October and November. The best time to be here is in the summer. Barcelona and the Costa Brava are slightly cooler than other major cities and the best time to visit is between May and September. However, Barcelona can be very humid in the summer. In the winter, the Costa del Sol has the warmest temperatures followed by the Balearic Islands on trips to Spain. If you can only visit Spain in the summer months, it is suggested to consider the north of the country. In August, Spain is taken over by the Europeans (France, Germany, Netherlands especially). Prices are higher at this time. Many restaurants decide they want to close for vacation and this limits the number available. In winter, temperatures can be cold in and around the mountainous areas. This includes Granada.

There are special times to be in Spain. Holy Week in Seville has the famous Semana Santa celebration when masked processions and large floats parade down the streets. The coastal town of Cadiz has one of the largest Carnival holidays in the world every year. There is the Tomatina on last Wednesday of August each year in the town of Bunol near Valencia. This is a city-wide food fight involving locals and foreigners who throw tomatoes at one another. The legendary Running of the Bulls is staged in the northern town of Pamplona each July.

Average Temperatures.

Jan

Apr

Jun

Aug

Oct

Madrid

10 C/50 F

17 C/63 F

29 C/84 F

33 C/91 F

21 C/70 F

Barcelona

14 C/57 F

18 C/64 F

26 C/79 F

29 C/84 F

23 C/73 F

Malaga

13 C/55 F

16 C/61 F

22 C/72 F

25 C/77 F

20 C/68 F

Granada

11 C/52 F

17 C/63 F

27 C/81 F

32 C/90 F

21 C/70 F

San Sebastian

12 C/54 F

13 C/55 F

18 C/64 F

21 C/70 F

16 C/61 F

NOTE – All quoted temperatures are daytime average highs unless otherwise stated and can vary.